Sun Microsystems is preparing to update StarOffice in July. StarOffice 8.0 will feature improved usability and for those of us, i.e. most of the planet, who grew up using Office at home and work, Sun is also promising improved interoperability with Microsoft's suite.

Interoperability with Office, along with a relatively poor selection of productivity applications, remains one of StarOffice's bugbears. But improved interoperability with Microsoft Office has been on the agenda since last year's technology sharing and legal deal between Microsoft and Sun.

One reason businesses in particular have held off of StarOffice - despite it's attractive price point - has been concern over the ability for groups of users running StarOffice and the majority running Office to easily share documents. ®

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